For many children, however, this skillset doesn’t come hurdle‑free. Speech therapy for kids provides the necessary language intervention for the 5 to 10 percent of preschool‑aged children who suffer from a speech delay.

In this article, we’ll cover what speech therapy is, how to know if your child may need it, and how you can obtain a skilled speech and language evaluation to determine if services are needed.

Understanding Speech Therapy and the Role of the Speech‑Language Pathologist

Speech‑language therapy comprises a series of assessments and treatments of speech, language, vocal, and even swallowing difficulties with the goal of helping people communicate effectively. Common speech and language disorders in children include stuttering, articulation disorders, fluency disorders, expressive and receptive disorders, motor speech disorders, and phonological rule disorders (see table for a more comprehensive list and definitions).

If your child is experiencing any of the aforementioned challenges with speaking and communicating, it may be necessary to engage a speech therapist. Also known as a speech‑language pathologist (SLP), this healthcare professional will assess, diagnose, treat, and help prevent your child’s nascent speech and language issues from becoming a lifelong struggle.

Recognizing the Signs Your Child May Need Speech Therapy

For parents, it can be very difficult to determine what’s normal and what could be a sign of your child needing some help. The warning signs of impending issues like speech sound errors, stuttering, and receptive and expressive disorders can be easy to dismiss as a mild anomaly that will resolve in good time.

While it’s true that some speech disorders get better as kids grow up, it’s always best to take the preventive step of obtaining a pediatric speech language assessment. That way, your child will have the best chance of developing solid communication skills.

Your child’s primary healthcare provider may be the first to suspect a speech disorder based on language‑related developmental milestones (see table) and put in a referral for an audiologist to check your child’s hearing. If hearing is determined not to be the problem, the provider may recommend speech therapy for your toddler.

Having a limited vocabulary, not saying first words by 13 months, or generally not meeting the milestones listed in the table can be a sign that your child may need some extra help, perhaps due to a hearing issue or a need for focused speech exercises. Other warning signs include:

• Difficulty forming complete sentences.
• Trouble articulating specific sounds.
• Signs of stuttering or unusual pauses.
• Challenges in understanding simple instructions.
• Social withdrawal or being unusually quiet in group settings.

In any of the above cases, a “wait and see” approach is not a good idea. Fortunately, there’s plenty of hope for a child who gets help in a timely manner. Many parents have seen their toddlers go from a significant speech delay to forming sentences within just a few months of beginning speech exercises.

The Benefits of Early Intervention

Timing really matters. Early therapy leads to much better outcomes, whereas ignoring necessary treatment can cause your child to experience significant and lasting challenges with reading, behavior, and/or socialization due to their delayed language development.

With expert speech therapy for toddlers, your child has a much better chance of enjoying:

• Improved language skills
• Increased confidence
• Better social interactions

As a parent, you can monitor your child’s milestones and seek evaluations proactively. Be observant, and trust your instincts — with something as vital as communication skills for life, it’s better safe than sorry.

How Speech Therapy Works: Methods and Approaches

Therapeutic techniques designed for kids are meant to be fun and unintimidating. Pediatric SLPs use play‑based methods like interactive games, hands‑on activities, verbal matching, and prediction‑based activities.

Other methods for speech therapy include a motor speech approach that supports young people with speech sound disorders resulting from motor planning difficulties (such as apraxia of speech). Therapists use tactile‑kinesthetic cues to physically guide your child’s lips, tongue, and jaw to produce the correct speech sounds.

If you’re concerned about the commitment involved in speech therapy for children, know that you’ll have plenty of scheduling options. From in‑person sessions to teletherapy options like home‑based speech therapy exercises, your speech‑language pathologist will work to make things easy for you. The frequency of sessions may even taper off as your child comes closer to age‑appropriate language development.

Interested in supplementing your child’s speech therapy sessions with some impromptu exercises at home? You absolutely can! SLPs often coach parents with at‑home activities that can include the following:

• Flashcards and picture books
• “Complete the thought” games
• Reading aloud and telling stories
• Modeling correct pronunciation and full‑sentence speech
• Making silly sounds to engage your child

Create a speech‑enriching environment by encouraging conversation during your daily routines and limiting distractions during practice sessions. You can also take advantage of speech therapy apps, workbooks, and language development games.

Help Your Child Build a Foundation for a Lifetime of Smooth Sailing

Recognizing the signs of a language delay is the first step in providing your child with the necessary supportive therapy. If you have concerns, that’s your cue to start the process of seeking a diagnosis and treatment. Remember, early intervention is key — and with the right help, your child may very well catch up with peers in a reasonable amount of time.

Ready to get help for your child? Consult with a qualified SLP or schedule a pediatric evaluation today.